This document discusses the importance of user research and building minimum viable products (MVPs) when developing new products. It recommends starting with user research like interviews and surveys to understand customer needs and problems before proposing solutions. Developers should then create an MVP to test solutions and get early feedback in an iterative process. Building an MVP allows checking if the solution fits the problem and provides market validation to guide further iterations towards the right product. The document emphasizes that user research and discovery should always come before starting with a proposed solution.

1. How to build the
right products:
user research
&MVPs?
Cristina Crucianu

2. You have the
greatest idea!

3. You have the solution and are already
building it!

4. Here are some
predictions:
You are excited about your own creation!
(Anyone else could have done it better!
Come on! You've got the power!)
Perfect solution for giraffes to reach food
even higher.

5. What's in
store for us?
Next generation holographic
communication will soon change
the way we work and conduct
meetings in the workplace,
significantly unifying
geographically dispersed
employees.
But the truth is...
Your solution is ill-fitted to their needs. Their problem was different from what you thought

6. NEVER START WITH THE
SOLUTION, START WITH THE
PROBLEM

7. User research &
Discovery always
comes first!

8. How to do so?
Talk to
customers *
1.
Find out if there is really a problem
and what pains are you trying to
solve.
Is your product a pain-killer or a
vitamin?
2. Build an MVP
You know the problem space and
you have thought about a
solution. Iteratively deliver value
and learn from it.
3. Iterate
Learn-Build-Measure

9. User research &
Discovery
01

10. Know your users &
Discovery!
- Interviews & surveys to learn more about their needs.
- Focus groups
- Empathy Maps
- Allow them to interact with low-fidelity designs
whenever possible

11. User Interviews
Have a specific research goal in mind.
- Interviews are a first great approach to learn more about your
users' needs and therefore frame better the problem you are
trying to solve.
Example:
- How do merchants feel about restocking on our platform and what process do they
normally follow to do so?

12. User Interviews
Prepare non-leading questions before the interview
Leading question:
Do you see this functionality useful?
Avoid CLOSED or YES/NO questions:
Would you use X functionality if we build it?

14. MVP
02
if you are heading in the right
direction
if you need to pivot
if your idea is solving a real
pain (market fit)
TRUE KNOWLEDGETRUE KNOWLEDGE

15. MVP value
iteration
process

16. Design-Sprint method

17. RESEARCH
01
Build an MVP
02
ITERATION
03
as continous research and LEARNING
ITERATE
03

18. Thank you

19. @cristincrucianu
Cristina Crucianu
Growth Mindset On
Contact:

20. Learn more:
How to Talk to Customers and Extract Product Growth Information?
Nielsen Norman Group